When the July teacher strikes start, and what we know about the …
The country has been hit with strikes in the past year,[1] and it doesn’t look to be over yet.
Teachers are preparing for a fresh round of action[2] over pay in an escalation of a long-running dispute in England, and unions for railway employees still have a mandate for up to another six months.
Here are the strikes confirmed so far for July.
Teachers
The NEU is set to walk out on Wednesday 5 and Friday 7 July, with lots of schools due to fully or partially close.
However, formal exams will not be affected, as all GCSEs, AS levels and A-levels are due to finish by 27 June[3] at the latest.
Teachers on strike as part of the dispute between the NEU and the Government over pay (Photo: Rasid Necati Aslim/Getty)
Members of the union are currently being reballoted to see if they want to continue taking industrial action for the rest of the year. The NEU’s reballot for strike action opened on 15 May and will close on 28 July.
This year, the NEU has staged five national and three regional strike days.
The strikes come amid frustration from teaching unions that the Education Secretary has failed to announce an improved pay offer despite receiving formal recommendations by the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB).
Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said that “it is within Gillian Keegan’s grasp for this action to be halted”.
They claimed that their calls to the Education Secretary had “fallen on stony ground”, adding: “The Education Secretary refused to re-enter negotiation on the grounds that she and her Department were waiting for the publication of the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation on pay.
“This week she has written to us saying, ‘I can confirm that I have received the [STRB] report and its recommendations.'” However, the NEU said the minister would not comment on speculation that it was suggesting a 6.5 per cent pay rise.
A Department for Education spokesperson said further strike action would cause “real damage” to pupil learning and increase disruption for parents.
“Thousands of schools are receiving significant additional funding as part of the extra £2bn of investment we are providing for both 2023-24 and 2024-25 which will take school funding its highest level in history next year, as measured by the IFS,” the spokesperson said.
“As part of the normal process, the independent School Teachers’ Review Body has submitted its recommendations to Government on teacher pay for 2023-24. We will be considering the recommendations and will publish our response in the usual way.”
Trains
National Rail says: “No further strike action has been announced at this time, but please keep checking this page in case that changes.”
The most recent industrial action took place on:
- Wednesday 31 May (ASLEF)
- Friday 2 June (RMT)
- Saturday 3 June (ASLEF)
However, Aslef also has an overtime ban across 16 companies from 3 – 8 July.
This includes: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, Chiltern, East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Great Northern, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, Southern (inclusive of Gatwick Express), South Western Railway (inclusive of Island Line), Thameslink, Transpennine Express & West Midlands Trains.
The union recently balloted 12,500 of its members at 15 train operators, with most voting by more than 90 per cent in favour of continuing action. Unions must give 14 days’ notice ahead of any strike action, meaning any walkouts are likely to start from July.
Aslef said the re-ballot showed they are “in it for the long haul”.
The RMT has also said the “zombie Government” has “locked down” on rail strike negotiations.
Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Lynch told Nick Ferrari on LBC: “I don’t think we are (closer to a resolution). The Government have locked down this dispute.”
He added: “It’s very likely there will be more strike action by the RMT. There’s no resolution at the moment, I’m afraid.”
Members of the Aslef union on a picket line near Leeds train station earlier this month (Photo: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Discussing “controversies in public life”, Mr Lynch said: “They’re clinging on like a zombie Government.
“So, I don’t know what it is that changes Government’s opinion, but it’s certainly not public opinion.”
Asked whether he will “ruin” Christmas, Mr Lynch said: “I hope not. No, I can’t see the dispute ending very quickly. I wish it would, I don’t want to be Mick Grinch.”
However, workers at Unipart Rail Ltd have announced strike action in a pay dispute over pay.
The workers, who are based at Unipart Rail’s Crewe depot, have rejected a 4.75 per cent pay increase, which is in reality a pay cut, with the true inflation rate (RPI) currently standing at 11.3 per cent.
The workers have announced two initial 24 hour strikes on Wednesday 5 July and Wednesday 12 July. An overtime ban will also be in place from 3 July until 16 July.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unipart Rail is a profitable company that is prepared to pay its directors very generously. The same does not apply to the workers who make the company a success, who have been offered a derisory offer. Unipart needs to urgently return to the negotiating table, drop its derisory offer and make a dramatically improved offer.”
Unipart Rail produces and refurbishes signalling equipment for Network Rail and the strike action will cause serious disruption and delays to the company in receiving the materials that it requires to keep the railway network.
Unite regional officer Steve Gerrard said: “Strike action will cause considerable disruption to the dispatch of key signalling equipment, vital to Network Rail’s operations. But this dispute is entirely of the company’s own making. It has had every opportunity to make a fair pay offer but has stubbornly refused to do so.”
Bins
Nearly 40 outsourced refuse workers in Selby, employed by waste company Urbaser on behalf of the North Yorkshire unitary authority, will also strike during the summer over ‘rubbish pay’.
The dispute is a result of the workers rejecting an eight per cent pay offer because they are on some of the lowest rates in the country for their roles. Bin loaders and grounds workers are paid just £10.64 an hour and refuse lorry drivers, who require an HGV license, are paid just £12.51 an hour.
The workers have also been offered a bonus, but they are angry it is less than the cost-of-living payment provided to refuse workers employed in other areas of the newly formed (Conservative controlled) North Yorkshire unitary authority.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is unbelievable that Urbaser thinks it can get away with paying its workers such astonishingly low wages. North Yorkshire council should not be allowing such exploitative pay for work that is by its nature dirty, heavy and unpleasant. Unite is absolutely focused on defending and improving our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and Urbaser’s Selby workforce will receive the union’s unflinching support.”
The strikes will impact bin collection, street cleaning and road sweeping services in Selby on 27 and 30 June and 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25 and 28 July and 4, 8, and 11 August. Strike action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved.
Buses
Around 360 bus drivers employed by First Manchester will also strike in July over an “inadequate” pay offer, Unite said.
Drivers at First Manchester earn less than other bus companies in the area. First Manchester drivers earn £13.50 an hour, while Go North West pays £14.37, Diamond Bus £14.30 and Stagecoach £14. The difference in wages is expected to increase as the other companies implement their yearly pay increases.
First Manchester drivers say that without a significant pay rise, chronic staff shortages and overwork will worsen at the company. The workers have rejected a 7.4 per cent pay offer backdated to April with a further 3.4 per cent in October.
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The drivers voted in favour of industrial action by 96 per cent with a turnout of 75 per cent. Strikes affecting First Manchester services in Rochdale, Oldham, Manchester and Ashton will take place on 3, 4, 7, 10, 11 and 13 July. More strike action will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved.
First Groups’ 2022 annual report, released earlier this month[4], shows that operating profits increased by more than £6 million to £226.8 million.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “First Manchester’s profits continue to soar but the rates it pays its drivers are the worst in the region. The company’s inadequate pay offer is not enough to make up for sky high living costs or to plug the staff shortages that are making our members’ working lives a misery.
“Unite defends our members’ jobs, pay and conditions to the hilt and First Manchester’s drivers will receive all the support they need as they strike for a fair pay rise.”
Tube
There are currently no strikes arranged on Tubes or on buses in the London area.
Strikes planned on Arriva London North bus services in June have been suspended.
NHS
There are no NHS strikes currently arranged.
However, “the BMA is balloting senior hospital doctors in England on strike action until 27 June 2023. The BMA has announced potential strike dates for consultants as 20 and 21 July if the ballot is successful and the Government does not make a ‘credible pay offer’,” the UK Government website reads.
References
- ^ with strikes in the past year, (inews.co.uk)
- ^ fresh round of action (inews.co.uk)
- ^ all GCSEs, AS levels and A-levels are due to finish by 27 June (inews.co.uk)
- ^ released earlier this month (www.firstgroupplc.com)